


Lucky catch, huh?

by Tinglecannon



Series: Just a bunch of Fair Game fics: because they deserved better [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Flirting, Literally tripping into someone's arms, M/M, Meet-Cute, Nervousness, One day I'll write Clover as the nervous mess. Today is not that day, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:28:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22924909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tinglecannon/pseuds/Tinglecannon
Summary: "Perhaps after this is all sorted out we can talk more? Or you can trip and fall, and I'll catch you again."
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: Just a bunch of Fair Game fics: because they deserved better [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1646842
Comments: 9
Kudos: 109





	Lucky catch, huh?

**Author's Note:**

> Qrow and Clover had the ultimate 'first meeting' already (getting arrested is so romantic y'all /s), but who doesn't love a good meet-cute situation?
> 
> Besides Qrow tripping and falling for Clover is literally canon, I couldn't not write it as their first meeting in an IRL AU, come on.

Qrow was running late.

On the _worst_ possible day too.

He has less than an hour to get to the office, prep the conference room, and set up the presentation before Atlas showed up for the merger proceedings. It's a highly stressful ordeal for everyone involved, but one with a high payout; this merger would save Beacon and broaden the scope of people they could reach and help.

Today is too important to mess up. Qrow _knew_ this and _still_ overslept. Nerves, he blames as he darts around a woman not walking fast enough, though by doing so he almost collided into a beam. The woman shouts after him but he just waves her off and keeps running.

For a split second he considered jumping the turnstile but knows it isn't worth the risk; if he got caught he'd be far later than he might already be. He scans his monthly subway pass, ushering through as quickly as the metal bars could move, and continues his sprint down the stairs to the train.

The doors are still open.

The train is crowded but Qrow's a thin guy, he can fit.

Almost there! And---

He trips at the door.

Qrow remembers wincing and gasping, expecting to collide into people or fall face first on the platform. Either a fitting conclusion for his morning thus far.

Instead, Qrow gets swept up into strong arms and braced against a solid chest.

"Woah, there! That was almost a nasty fall."

Qrow didn't notice his eyes were shut tight until he lifted his head towards the (criminally) dreamy voice that just spoke.

Rust colored eyes meet the most stunning teal green, and Qrow's breath hitches as the stranger smiles. "Lucky break I caught you, huh," the stranger muses with a quirked brow. He doesn't seem all too concerned about having some unknown man crash into him seconds before the doors closed, nor does he seem upset said man has yet to move out of his embrace.

"Uh, I---" is all Qrow can get out. Heat blossoms across his face and crawls down his neck and up his ears. There's a small part of him that thinks falling on the floor would've been less embarrassing than being caught by this tall, handsome, green eyed angel. The desperately lonely majority of him vehemently disagrees and begs he stay in this awkward hug for as long as possible.

Let the other man move away first, he decides.

They stay locked like that for what feels like hours (though was realistically only a minute), Qrow slightly hunched forward with his hands placed on the stranger's chest, the stranger's hands sitting just under Qrow's shoulder blades to hold him up, and the two of them staring into each other's eyes. Qrow knows he's gaping like a fish, he _knows_ yet he can't _stop_ himself. The handsome stranger has an amused smirk on his stupidly attractive face, one brown eyebrow raised, and his hair brushed back out of his face.

Qrow is taking in all the little details; the sharp curve of his jawline, the downward slope of his nose, the soft wrinkles under his brilliant green eyes. He isn't sure if he died and is in heaven, or if the stress of this merger has really made him go insane enough to openly gawk at some hot guy on the train.

"You ok?" The stranger asks.

Thankfully his tone still sounds amused, so Qrow hasn't thoroughly creeped him out. Good.

"Y-yeah. Sorry, uh thanks," Qrow croaks out. He slowly peels his hands away from the other man's chest in time with him taking his hands off Qrow's back. His skin is tingling even after they moved about half a foot apart.

The stranger slides his hands into his coat pockets and smiles. "No problem, I didn't do much."

You almost made my heart give out, he disagrees.

Qrow nods, not sure what to say. He nervously clutches his messenger bag, and finally drags his gaze down to look at his own feet. Gods, his face was so warm he felt sick. This was only going to make the meeting later worse.

Thinking of the merger resurged some of his earlier panic, and Qrow was a flurry of nerves as he scrambled to pull his phone from his jacket. Only to fumble and nearly drop it.

Except that stranger caught it for him.

It was impressive to watch, if Qrow forgets how much of a bumbling fool he's been tripping and then dropping things. The man swiftly took his hand out of his coat pocket and caught the phone in one fluid motion, almost like he was _expecting_ Qrow to drop it. The smirk from earlier is back as he holds it out for Qrow to take.

Qrow mumbles, "Thanks..." He immediately checks the time and sighs in relief. He should have a good twenty minutes to prepare when he gets to the building. He can work with that.

"Rough morning?"

"Just...stressed about work." Qrow explains. The stranger hums, letting Qrow drop the subject if he doesn't want to talk more.

And he doesn't. The voice in his head teasing him ' _yes you do'_ sounds like his niece Yang and he promptly ignores it. Qrow's got more important shit to worry about than talking to the hot guy on the train. He types a quick text to Tai letting him know he's close by.

The train chiming as it finally comes to his stop was like a life saver. He gives the stranger an awkward nod before slipping out the doors and rushing up the stairs out of the subway. Thankfully the office is only a couple blocks away, and it takes just a few minutes of jogging until Qrow's through the front door and at the elevators.

" _There you are!_ I was getting so worried," Tai exclaims, following after Qrow as he speed walks out of the elevator and into the largest conference room.

"Sorry, rough morning."

Tai just sighs, "Well, you're here now with some time to spare. You brought everything, right?"

Qrow hums in affirmation as he gets to work on setting up. This merger is _crucial_ and any thoughts not related to it gets put on the back burner, including the man on the train.

That is, until about twenty minutes later.

A handful of high ranking Atlus employees are led through the conference room doors by Tai, exchanging pleasantries and handshakes with the other Beacon employees waiting for their arrival. When those teal green eyes glance over towards the projectors and land on Qrow, it's like time stopped.

A shit-eating grin spreads across the man's face in time with a deep flush spreading across Qrow's. The man strides up to him, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Well, hello again."

"Hi..." Qrow definitely doesn't squeak.

The man licks his lips and looks around the room, the effort it's taking him to not start laughing clear as day. Qrow can't blame him, if their roles were reversed he would be howling by now. "So. Stressed about work?"

Qrow thinks back to when he was mostly grateful this handsome, brown-haired green-eyed angel caught him on the train, and only a tiny part wished he fell on his face. 

He's changed his mind. 

All of him wished he fell on his face. 

Maybe even died while he was at it.

"I wouldn't worry too much," the man says. He leans a little closer and whispers conspiratorially, "Even if your presenting skills are as clumsy as your feet, the Atlas board has already pretty much decided this merger is a go. Too many benefits on both sides, no real big downsides, you get it."

When the man leans back, he winks. _Winks._

Though that privy information helped quell Qrow's anxiety substantially, now he has a whole other slew of issues. Namely that the hot man thinks he's a klutz, and that they might be colleagues soon. Oh yeah, and that he _winked_ at Qrow, like it's legal for him to be hot _and_ a damn flirt.

The man holds out his hand. "Clover Ebi."

Qrow blinks before taking it, vaguely wondering if his palms are sweaty, and murmurs a greeting of his own. "Oh, um, Qrow Branwen."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Branwen. I was disappointed when you ran off the train y'know."

"Hm?"

"I didn't get your name before, which I thought was a shame. You left _quite_ the impression, after all." Clover keeps his hold on Qrow's hand for just a second longer before pulling away. "Perhaps after this is all sorted out we can talk more? Or you can trip and fall, and I'll catch you again."

This time when Clover winks, Qrow actually groans and slaps a hand on his face. They got a few looks from the other people present, though thankfully no one asked any questions.

The presentation went smoothly all things considered, even if every time Qrow looked at the audience his eyes would drift to Clover, just for a moment, but the ever present smirk on his face told Qrow he noticed every single time.

When the merger announcement was made and everyone else started cheering or conversing with their seat neighbors, Qrow couldn't do much more than hold eye contact with Clover.

Despite all the stress and embarrassment from earlier, Qrow couldn't keep the small smile off his face as he walked over. "I look forward to working with you."

"Lucky me," Clover winked.

**Author's Note:**

> Clover: I think you're falling for me. ;)  
> Qrow: I hate this man.  
> \---  
> Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
